Micromachined biocalorimeter with picojoule sensitivity

描述(逐字摘自申请人的摘要)：微量热法是一种 细胞代谢检测的关键技术--鉴定 药物对特定细胞类型的影响，以及蛋白质折叠的研究， 结构转变和其他生物现象。我们建议 使用速度更快的微机械生物热量计彻底改变这一领域(15 毫秒时间常数)，比传统设备更灵敏(2微卡 10秒集成)，并且足够便宜，可以一次性使用。该设备 将有一个或多个样本空间蚀刻在硅芯片上。不像 早期的微机械热量计，在空气中获得高灵敏度， 而且不需要周围的真空，使新设备成为 细胞新陈代谢研究。高灵敏度将使检测到 样本量比以往任何时候都要小得多，从而减少了 准备和研究许多生物反应。它还将允许 在某些情况下，检测到比以前少得多的细胞的代谢变化 在一间牢房里。除了细胞代谢的基础研究外，酶 功能，功能基因组学，以及其他，一次性的“皮科热量计”将 在药物开发和评估方面有重大的商业应用，并且 检测液体样品中的多种毒素。 建议的商业应用： 拟议的“皮科热量计”将使制药研究人员能够评估 在一种快速、一次性的测试中，实验药物对特定细胞类型的影响将 只需要极少量的药物。他们还将有助于理解基因 功能，通过识别蛋白质折叠和其他由基因控制的转变。

DESCRIPTION (Verbatim from the Applicant's Abstract): Microcalorimetry is a critical technique for the measurement of cell metabolism, the identification of drug effects on specific cell types, and the study of protein folding, structural transitions and other biological phenomena. We propose to revolutionize this field with a micromachined biocalorimeter that is faster (15 msec time constant) than conventional devices, more sensitive (2 picocalories for 10 second integration) and inexpensive enough to be disposable. The device will feature one or more sample spaces etched into a silicon chip. Unlike earlier micromachined calorimeters, the high sensitivity is obtained in air, and without the need of a surrounding vacuum, making the new device ideal for studies of cellular metabolism. The high sensitivity will enable detection of much smaller sample volumes than ever before, thereby reducing the time to prepare and investigate many biological reactions. It will also permit the detection of metabolic changes in many fewer cells than before, in some cases in a single cell. Besides basic research in cellular metabolism, enzyme function, functional genomics, and others, disposable "PicoCalorimeters" will have a major commercial application to drug development and evaluation, and the detection of a wide range of toxins in liquid samples. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: The proposed "PicoCalorimeter" will enable pharmaceutical researchers to evaluate the effects of experimental drugs on specific cell types, in a rapid, disposable test that will require very small volumes of drug. They will also contribute to an understanding of gene function, by identifying protein folding and other transitions controlled by genes.